wisconsin versus michigan

<p>I agree with the last statement of Alexandre’s post in regard to the personal choice factor. These schools are too similiar and the personal factors will be the most important (I exclude certain things like the national reputation of Ross making it a good choice for UM students, or someone interested in medical microbiology who would have world class opportunities @ Madison) aspect in the choice. The 1-2 line blippy responses by some of the posters on this thread would lead an unsuspecting reader to believe we are comparing Iowa State to UCLA.</p>

<p>Also Alexandre, I suppose it is not 40, but a 30K a year difference. While I think you make a valid point about 160 vs 130K, it assumes parents for OOS students are not taking a part (if not all) of the tab. Knowing dozens of OOS students @ Michigan and Wisconsin, I know that students end up assuming some of that debt yet many of the OOS students are upper middle class and many from elite high schools (and wealthier parents) in Chicago, NY, California, New Jersey, Mass., etc. In my expierence the parents can pay ~20K a year leaving me with almost* a year of law school that would be saved at Wisconsin. I’m glad you recognize that is nothing to sneeze at, but when comparing peer institutions that change matters. I often feel that high school students on CC are out of touch with how 30,000 dollars (or more) can affect loan repayment and other graduate studies.</p>

<p>As for other misc. posters, I understand that Michigan has many programs which outrank Wisconsin. Ross and the engineering departments are two that come to mind, but I also note that Wisconsin is ranked in the top 15 at the undergradute level for both. Not exactly comparing night vs day. Further, Michigan has a 4.5 to Wisconsin’s 4.2 peer institution rating by the US News. Now, these are differences, but this thread makes it seem like you are comparing two VASTLY different schools. Michigan and Wisconsin share an enormous amount of research, Phds who end up teaching at the other school, and UGs who end up at the others graduate programs. Even the Dean of admissions @ Wisconsin comes straight out of Ann Arbor. In my opinion, without a specific reason (say you are an english major) the schools are more ALIKE than DIFFERENT and this thread lacks any critical analysis, instead relying on 1-2 line blips. I am utterly unconvinced that your history, english, womens studies, jewish studies, or acturary majors (just to show some random majors) have a much different UG expierence at either school. Neither school will make one attractive to a graduate program or employer without doing well AT the school. Getting in will not make you automatically successful. Graduates from BOTH schools win Nobel prizes and the like, and graduates from BOTH schools also attend Wayne State or Marquette law school (not to diminish the law school, but to show that it’s what you do at college, not the school in this case which will help you achieve life goals). Any difference for the majority of students will be too marginal to consider one “soooo much better” than the other.</p>

<p>Futher, I would make the argument that there are many majors for which Wisconsin is a better choice. Many hard sciences are top notch at Wisconsin and other humanities such as the communication and journalism department @ Madison. One reason why I turned down Michigan, even if I were to spend the extra money, is that Wisconsin offered a better education for those interested in political communications, political rheotric, and things of that nature. It’s a school with SEVENTY departments in the top ten in the nation. Yes, Michigan will have just as high of a number, if not more, but people, this is not apples to oranges.</p>